This invention relates to a method for monitoring a mobile station presence in a special area. This invention relates also to a mobile system, a server, a radio transmitting device, and a mobile station suitable for carrying out such a method.
Development of short range wireless communication solutions based on the use of Bluetooth, DECT and WIFI within a small area such as homes is strong competition for mobile operators owning wide mobile networks. A mobile telephone network (called also mobile network) includes a large number of base stations and all the data processing means required to provide the telecommunication service to each mobile station serviced by said mobile network.
These short range wireless communication solutions can provide direct connection to fixed networks whose operators offer cheaper rates than those offered by mobile networks. It can therefore be of interest for mobile network operators to offer different rates depending on the instantaneous location of a mobile station connected to its mobile network, in particular in areas; called special areas, where it could face strong competition from some short range wireless communication solutions.
The published patent application No. US20020094801 describes a technical solution: a fixed station sends an encoded first signal and the coverage of said first signal defines a special area. The fixed station and a mobile station using the special area are linked one another via the signal code. But this document does not disclose anything about the content of said coded signal. In order to realize protection against the abuse of the system, in an embodiment, this document proposes to provide the fixed station with receiving and comparison means for an access code that is to be applied to the fixed station via the mobile station in order to put the fixed station into operation.
The international application WO 00/27152 offers another solution for locating a mobile station based on the use of a guide unit that broadcasts a short range radio signal which defines a home area. This document discloses that the short range radio signal contains the identity code of said mobile station that has to identify its own identity code in order to notice to a mobile switching centre that it is located in its home area. This mobile station transmits then a home message to the mobile network, this home message being possibly used notably for defining the price/service connected to telephone calls. In this last, technical solution, the guide unit has to know the identity of the mobile station and this last solution is thought to be used for a home special area.
However, this last technical solution does not allow the mobile network, to add for a mobile station one or more special areas wherein the presence of a mobile station is monitored without having to at least modify one or more guide units broadcasting in such areas. It lacks therefore of flexibility.